Woman Charged With Hitting Bar Worker, Kicking Cop And Damaging Police Car in Nyack

tony chestnut January 30, 2012 at 09:18 pm

I think Nyack is a great place to drink and it should be turned into one big bar. Then we dont have to worry about people urinating and vomiting in my doorway-because i wont live here anymore.

Mike January 30, 2012 at 09:22 pm

So for all you complaining about these bars, what do you propose to replace them with. Or do you expect to go without the tax revenues that they bring into your Village. Hey Pete , will you do the same ID check on other business owners in Nyack? Is that now a requirement for owning and operating a business in the village that you must live there? If there is as much underage drinking going on as you all claim, then one has to assume OPD is aware and why not raid the offending establishment ? Believe me SLA will shut hem down very quickly. So again, for all those ranting against these places, what do you propose to take their places? What will bring people to Nyack other than bars and restaurants?

emetib January 30, 2012 at 09:49 pm

Until you add alcohol.

JILL January 31, 2012 at 03:08 am

Hahaha, I agree she looks like she's pushing 40, they should have tested her for drug use too! This girl should be on a poster of what the girls chillin in Nyack every night at 4am turn out to look like and act like. Maybe that will keep these people coming from all over to come to the bars.

John Gromada January 31, 2012 at 03:25 am

Mike-the bars do not bring any tax revenue into the village. The buildings bring in property taxes but can be occupied by law-abiding businesses. Sales tax revenue goes to the county and state. We just have to pay for the messes that the bars create.
The bars also have artificially inflated rents in the village, and driven out other businesses. If we were rid of the worst bars, other businesses would certainly take their places, and perhaps we would get back many of the the more responsible visitors who have been driven away by the madness. We residents are sick of the destruction and crime we see here in our home, and it's about time that something is done about this.

Mike January 31, 2012 at 03:53 am

John with all due respect, you really have not answered the question. I have no side on this issue as I don't live in Nyack and probably only head into the Village 2 or 3 times a year for dinner. I understand and agree with the quality of life issue you raise, but if these bars close down, even if rents somehow decline , I still do not see what businesses come in to replace them. Yes, you are correct, sales tax revenue does not accrue to Nyack. Maybe that can be looked at? All I am saying is like every other small town/village, other than banks, bars, and restaurants what businesses can compete with the Mall locations and survive? It's a big dilemma.

Randy January 31, 2012 at 04:22 am

First, if you want to register a complaint with the NY State Liquor Authority against the Black Bear Saloon their license serial number is: 2133507.
Go ahead and do it, I did. Second; The taxpaying residents of Nyack have had enough of these unruly bars. They disrupt life at night in the village, endanger us when we try to drive our cars in the very early morning. Yes, some of us actually get up early and drive when all these drunks are stumbling to their cars to drive home. We really don't want to be in a head-on collision with some person in a drunken stupor. How about drunk driving check points from 2AM - 5AM in Nyack on weekends????? I would bet a dozen drunk drivers would be arrested on the first night. Drunk driving is against the law.... It is time to take the village back from these bars. Yes, some of them are respectable and well run but certainly not the Pour House and the Black Bear Saloon.

Scotty January 31, 2012 at 05:35 am

Our leaders have failed us in making sure that we don't turn into a mini Greenwich Village...sad but true. We should put the blame where it belongs. Bar owners who should have been turned down because we have enough in town are not at fault. It is the elected official that has turned the cheek to allow more and more of the same type bars and drinking establishments. I have been to nice towns in upper westchester that allow a few then turn down others keeping bars to a reasonable amount. Thereby they have suceeded in keeping their town clean and respectable. I agree with Mr Gromada...he makes a lot of sense. Listen up Nyack..before it is too late...but sadly it might be already.

NyackbornNraised January 31, 2012 at 07:07 am

THANK YOU as a young person in their early 20s its one of the few places I can go out and enjoy myself on a weekend night. If you take away the bars in Nyack theres not much for the 20s crowd to do around here, so many old complaining people who were prob reckless in their 70s hay day now coming down on us when its stricter than its ever been with laws and regulations. If the internet was around back in the people who are complaining's day I would have loved to read about all the absurd things these people did..... Why punish the entire county's young population, the establishments, and others for the actions of a few.... America is getting soft and always changing and making laws just because of one or a few idiots screw ups and punishing the rest of the normal well behaved logical people out there! jeez!

NyackbornNraised January 31, 2012 at 07:09 am

How is it a dangerous town to raise children pete please explain... I live 5 blocks from main street and its safe as anything the bars really dont effect raising your children at all... many of my neighbors children are under 10 and not effected by the downtown scene at all... I mean they dont let their kids roam around the streets at night .... like any good parent does... nice try though pete

NyackbornNraised January 31, 2012 at 07:11 am

I have underage friends who have all gotten their IDs taken at pourhouse and Blackbear uses a Scanner to scan all IDs and I have seen so many kids get their IDs taken or have been turned away ... theres always gona be a few who slip thru the cracks it happens at every establishment.... it may have been different in the past but today both bars do a good job of making sure no underage kids get into their establishments to the best of their ability

NyackbornNraised January 31, 2012 at 07:13 am

No young people will go to reality bites it will have a similar crowd to that of casa del sol 30s + ... older people need a place to go too

elizabeth January 31, 2012 at 12:01 pm

I know for a fact that there was a very nice Italian restaurant owner who wanted to rent Reality Bites, and was refused, because they preferred to sell the business, and keep it, basically a bar, instead. I remember when Nyack used to be such a nice village. I loved going downtown to shop, walk around, and browse all the little stores and cafes. Remember "Eat your Heart Out?" Dana is right. We need to go in front of the Village Board and insist on limiting the number of bars, and petitioning the SLA to change the closing hours to 1:00. The Orangetown Chief of Police has already said he would support this move. Does anybody want to go to a Village Board meeting this Thursday to bring some of these issues up?

Marc January 31, 2012 at 09:32 pm

Reality Bites is not a bar, it is a restaurant that occasionally features jazz. I think it is a little unfair to try to lump it in with the unruly drinking dens up and down Main Street. Compare it to Hudson House, not the Pour House.

John Gromada January 31, 2012 at 09:43 pm

The owner of Reality Bites stated last night that she was only going to be a silent partner in the new venture.

elizabeth February 1, 2012 at 11:27 am

You're right, Reality Bites was a nice, quiet, restaurant, and that is the point. They were partially run out of business by the noisy, bar and crowd next door. We need to be very vigilant about the new owners, not expanding into another Pour House.

Mike February 1, 2012 at 11:43 am

What questions do they need to answer? Thought this was still a free country? They have a license, are properly zoned, and assume meet all other state and local requirements. Interesting, Nyack is the place in RC that always talks about tolerance and accepting of all people I guess unless you are from Westchester or Pearl River. Perhaps you can all walk up and down main street stopping people and say "vee vant to see your papers".

Scotty February 1, 2012 at 07:20 pm

I hope so Heather and I pray for you and it does seem you have true remorse...but words are just that..words, and basically they mean nothing without action to back them up. I do hope this is your first and last time (your words ) drinking and breaking the law involving excessiveness. You don't remember any of it...the fighting, destruction of the interior of a police car, the physical force you exerted and others used to stop the situation , punching the bar's empolyee, SPITTING ( really vile and disgusting offense in today's world) at and on a police officer, swearing, kicking a police officer, the list is long and indisputable. You WERE out of control and that's the point myself and others living in and around Nyack see on a weekly basis. That is why people are upset and tired of these stories. Your story ended on a better note than others in the same situation. I have been to the ER at a hospital, seen a friend with tubes running all over, oxygen mask/ machine , a face and body swollen and battered beyond belief, family members out of control racked with horror to see their once beautiful daughter lying, dying on a gurney , beyond imagination. No parent should have to see that...but with out of control drunk drivers..it happens. And I heard from another room down the hall from that drunk driver these words..." I don't remember anything, one minute we were all drinking and now I'm here"....and the words trail off with sobs. I hope you get Heather...I pray you do.

elizabeth February 1, 2012 at 07:26 pm

Why don't you support our movement to close the bars earlier. This would never have happened to you if the bars were closed by 1am.

rickaccountant February 2, 2012 at 05:42 pm

I moved to Nyack to get away from all this craziness. What is happening to this charming village? Why are village rules not being enforced? And if they cannot be, them maybe the rules should be changed/updated? Thankfully, some of this is in the works.

George February 5, 2012 at 05:13 am

I can vouch for Heather...This article bashes and rips a bad image to the reader. To make matters worse they post the picture of her mug shot after crying all night on google worldwide including the info of her home address. That is wrong in my eyes,,everyone has made mistakes while under the influence. The barmaid that was working may have provoked the situation that saturday night.

Scotty February 5, 2012 at 05:29 am

Well George....you can vouch all day long for Heather..it doesn't change a thing. Upset about posting her photo ?...about personal info ? ....the barmaid may have provoked the situation that night ?...NO George...Heather did this entire mess to herself ! She decided to go beyond the limit at the bar that night..no one twisted her arm behind her back and made her drink herself into oblivion. "this article bashes and rips a bad image to the reader " ? Duh ? Without Heather there is nothing, without Heather spitting..fighting..kicking..taking her high heels off and smashing the roof of the police car...am I getting through ? This all could have ended even worse if she drove after a night of drinking..or worst yet...she could have caused an accident injuring herself or others. No..without Heather getting herself ripped was..is .. and will always be the problem.

elizabeth February 5, 2012 at 11:46 am

If the bars were closed by 1:am, this never would have happened.......Otherwise there will be many more "Heather's" to come.

Scotty February 5, 2012 at 02:20 pm

I wholeheartedly agree Elizabeth...but somehow when money..profits..political friendships.."look the other way" money..etc is involved...the idea of closing early will never happen !

rickaccountant February 6, 2012 at 01:22 pm

Clearly, the OPD is not enforcing the laws as the Pour House is ownded by retired police officers. Cronyism at it;s worst.

rickaccountant February 6, 2012 at 01:24 pm

Great idea! Drunk driving check points in Nyack. it will never happen as the OPD would have to be involved and it might hurt their cronies' business.

elizabeth February 6, 2012 at 11:35 pm

Well, it doesn't hurt to try. The majority of the population of our village wants it. We need to get the mayor and trustees to petition the SLA for an earlier closing. The SLA said they would consider this application. The Orangetown Chief of Police said he would back up any effort on this behalf.

Eric April 22, 2012 at 06:28 pm

Scotty were you there?

tony chestnut April 22, 2012 at 08:29 pm

Someone kept ringing my doorbell at 2 in the morning. Happens all the time. Sometimes they even leave little gifts like condoms, cig butts, and vomit. Clearly this has nothing to do with the bars. Probably just shoppers stopping by to say high and leaving a token of their appreciation.

Scotty April 23, 2012 at 12:23 am

No Eric...was not there. So you must wonder how I can be so descriptive of an incident that I petsonally did not see. I've seen this many times however and it NEVER ends good. I've seen drunk drivers pulled out of cars totally wrecked without a scratch yet the other driver and friends injured beyond description. Don't worry or dwell on who was or wasn't there...story and endings are the problem.